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rpowell01
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Posts posted by rpowell01
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Doesn't a NOD go to BVA and a DRO stays regional?
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I think that this President along with a lot from Congress has now signed their early retirement papers!!!! I agree with WAC-Vet75. Also did this President have the balls enough to tell Congress they will have to work the weekend. You know he can executive order them to do that...
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I understand about the arthritis in the lower back, probably not as bad as you though. Thanks for your information you provided and I hope you get your answer. I am guess my spinal cord is being pressed against up in my neck....
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My Monster, I got a question for you. You stated in your topic that you had radiculopathy in both legs and arms. Are these both from Cervical only? I thought it was something in my head about the legs. Does this sound familiar? Lately I have been getting a lot of pains in both of my legs from top to bottom. Even both feet has been having pains. Also it feels that I am standing on something that is vibrating back and forth really small and fast. I guess the vibration is the same feeling I have in my hands but I just cannot compare anything anymore. I am losing feeling all over different parts of my extremities now so anything is possible.
Thanks...
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I was researching this and came across this topic.
How and who do you file this with?
From the time you submit it how long does it take to get a finalization answer?
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Well after I wrote my last reply on this, which was I think on a Monday, I was sitting up watching TV and I felt this weird feeling on my right tricep. Now I have numbness on my right tricep and some on my left, greater on right side though. Both arms are now very weak because they really feel heavy. After a few days of researching this everything comes back with a C6-7 herniation. First C5-6 now possibly C6-7. I was told I do have disc disease in my neck and back. I guess the spasms and the Cervical Kyphosis are really affecting my discs. My neck is straighter than a 2x4. John seen a photo of it and now I am very weary of that because it is dangerous to have that. I am hoping and praying this surgeon can correct this!!!
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Wish I knew how to get Premium Access on ebenefits. Seems I can't find nobody to give me premium access. The RO people that were there the day I asked for premium access nobody knew their password to give me access...Go figure!!!!
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Here is the thing, for 365 days ++++ I have been in pain, I now have high blood pressure because of the pain, I get chest pains because of the compressed nerve, my heart palpitates at times, I get sick on my stomach if I turn my head to the right or left too far. These are just around 20% of the issues I have with just my neck alone. I can deal with my lower back and I have dealt with muscle spasms in my neck for 15 years but this thing that started last year well I cannot handle it any longer. It is too much for me because it is not just hurting me but my family. Here is what caught my attention, seriously. Just last week my daughter asked me if she could ride her bike and ride it on the rode. I said yes. Five minutes later I heard noise in our utility room. I go in there to see what in the world was going on and see my daughter getting her bike outside. I asked her what she was doing and she said she was going ride her bike. I asked her if she knew how to ask me if she could (because of riding on the rode here is dangerous). She said she did ask me and I said YES. I told her she didn't ask me and she looked at me like I was crazy. Well my son came over and said Daddy she asked you and you said yes. I didn't remember her asking me nor did I remember answering her. Right then I had tears come out of my eyes and I told myself I had enough. This is my life and has been my life for the past year. My co-worker was telling me today that her husband would forget things right after she or anybody else told him something. You see it all came to light for me today. I am not going to put my family through this much longer. If the surgery works then great, if not, then I will have to find an alternative. But I am not going to put my family through any more. Thanks for the input....
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They were hacked, plain and simple. Anytime you see something like this happen like the Sgt. Schultz thing, then that means someone made it inside the domain/servers and was reconfiguring a lot of files. Hopefully the database didn't get damage...
I just checked it and it was down....
Well if they would have given the job to me a few months ago then they would have all the IT help they needed.
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Or tell them you are a Pro Fisherman!!!!
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Well I was at work today and was talking with a co-worker of mine. Her husband who also works there went to the same surgeon my primary care provider want to send me to. It was weird me telling her all my symptoms and she said her husband had the same exact symptoms. Whenever I say exact I mean exact. I wrote all of them down, read them off to her and she said yep those were it. But, he dealt with it for 4 years where mine has only been 1 year 2 months now. But he got to the point where he actually lost control of his sense of thought and was driving home one day from work and got lost. I do not want to end up like that so today I made an appointment with the private surgeon my primary care provider wants me to go to. I know now he is looking out for my best interest. This surgeon basically explained to my friend that therapy and pain management does not work on these types of issues. He said they are waste of $. Now, my questions are this:
1. If the surgeon goes in and corrects the herniated disc will he also correct the bulge disc at the same time? I have a C5-6 herniation left side into the left foraminal area resulting in left foraminal stenosis. Also C2-3 is bulged adn C6-7 is bulged. I also have straightening of the cervical lordosis with mild reversal of the cervical curvature with mild torticollis most likely due to spasms. I understand there is a chance I will have 2-3 fusions but I would rather have that than the pain and suffering I have been going through for the past year!!!
2. If I have the surgery and the surgeon wants me to stay out of work for lets say 6 months, how do I file for temporary 100% for those 6 months?
3. I guess my next question would be if the surgeon also tells me I am not allowed to go back to work how do I file for 100% P & T whenever I am only rated at 40% right now. I know the fusion will probably cause my rating to go up because it will significantly impact my ROM so I know I can file an increase but I don't seem to understand the direction or way to file for P & T if a surgeon might say I cannot work because of the fusions. I already know that he will probably not allow me to go back to work in the field I am in being a Corrections Officer because of the physical force that my duties call for and opening 400lb doors will not help either.....This surgeon told my friend that he is not allowed to go back to work so now he is medically retired. My Friend is so stubborn that he wanted to come back to work and the surgeon's office actually called our work and told them he is not allowed to come back. Good thing is the surgeon's office help send in his SSDI claim....
Thank you everybody because your inputs have helped me a lot and hopefully I will get my life back soon!!!! If this surgeon tells me I cannot go back to work, hopefully I will be going fishing soon....
What is so weird about today is I work in another county than I live in. They live in a different county than I do but they work in the same county I do. Small world isn't it?
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Okay, I can see him "helping me out" if it was a fee base situation. But you had to be there to see how "eager" he was whenever I told him I had insurance. I just think it is fishy.
I see many people who have gone to private doctors and are still messed up. I just talked to one the day before yesterday. He said if he knew that it was going to be like this he should have went to the VA. Eitherway he is still messed up. Naw I think i will stay the way I am for now until I can see a Neurosurgeon...Orthopedics is out of the question on my neck...
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Berta, wow and the credit hours are cheaper.....HMMMM I might have to rethink this over....
The VA Counselor told me that she had 2 students in school right now getting their Information Technology degrees but they are having trouble. She said they got into something they didn't know anything about and it is hard on them. Myself I have 7 years, 5 days a weeks, 40 hours a week hands on experience in the field. I did everything from Networking, to Network Configuration to IP Phone configuration to designing the GUI/front end of a database, server administration and management to building a PC...You name it I did it because of the position I was in.....The counselor stated to me today that it will be easier for me. Even at the college I went to in 2002 for Cisco Networking for one year, 5 days a week, 6 hour days it was online. Only had a few labs but over all everything was online. So I am hoping the online will be the same. I am not worried about the phone. I use one phone (cell) and my spouse keeps it with her. Yes it will be a change for me but I think after what I have been through the last 2 years from my IT position getting cut to now having a herniated disc in my neck, I do have the motivation to do it....
BTW the VA pays up to $25,000 a year which includes tuition, books and anything I need for my classes. I am not worried about a PC. I actually have 3 of them in my house. If the one I am using breaks down mechanically, I have a back up right next it....I build my own PCs to my specs and believe me my specs are high....
Thanks for the info I will look into AMU...
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I finally go to see my VA Primary care provider about my herniated disc and the reverse curvature in my cervical spine. Immediately after reading the private radiologist report he asked me if I had private insurance. I stated yes, then he recommended me to go see a private orthopedic surgeon down the road. After talking with somebody today you all know we both kind of see this "fishy"..
1.Why would a VA Internal Medicine Doctor recommend me to go see this certain Orthopedic Surgeon and not Bay Pines Orthopedic Surgeons? Why ask me if I had private insurance when in fact I am SC'd for my cervical/neck anyway? Isn't this unethical for him to do this actually and against VA policy?
2. I wouldn't let a Orthopedic Surgeon touch my neck if he paid me to do it. I want a Neurosurgeon to do it because every person who told me that a Orthopedic Surgeon who did their neck DID NOT do a good job and they wished they would have went to a Neurosurgeon.... I called Bay Pines Patient Advocacy today to ask them if they had any Neurosurgeons at Bay Pines. One of the so called "top" veteran hospitals in Florida and they do not have a Neurosurgeon there? OMG!!!! But they do have Orthopedic Surgeons!!! WOW!!! I did ask the person if it was ethical for my Primary Care Provider to recommend me to a Private Orthopedic Surgeon even though Bay Pines has them and her answer was "No that is not ethical" and then she asked what CBOC is he in. I told her Sebring, then she transferred me to Ft Myers Advocacy who is over Sebring. I didn't get to talk with anyone there but hopefully tomorrow she will be in.
Doesn't this seem odd or fishy he would do this? IMHO it seems there is a "kick back" thing going on here. Yes I am going to refuse this and talk with the Patient Advocacy person tomorrow about getting me to see a Neurosurgeon and ask her if it is ethical for him to do that. If she says it isn't then I am going to file a complaint against him. I might stir up some soup on this but this guy wouldn't listen to me for 6 months last year, and now that I have the proof of what is going on, he wants to send me to one of his bros...I think not!!!! I want the VA to take care of this and I should not nor will I pay one cent to have this corrected. Plus, I know it will probably cause me to be out of work for awhile so I want the VA to at least compensate me for it temporary...
BTW for information for others. If you have a neck strain with a bunch of spasms in your neck. Please get it corrected somehow if you can. If you don't you will end up in my situation with a herniated disc being caused by a reverse curvature in my cervical spine which is caused by all the spasms I have had for 15 years. That reverse curvature is very dangerous and have been known to cause death in patients. They can repair the curvature without surgery if caught early. For me I will probably have to have surgery on this because my neck is straighter than a 4x4.....
Be care careful with who your VA Primary Care Provider sends you to....
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Well after researching and getting information I think Florida Technical University online will be the most suitable one for me. I read many reviews online about a lot of them "online colleges" and seen this one is Regionally Accredited compared to those who are Federally. There is a big difference in this. Regionally means you are considered a graduate just like you were at school compared to the others which states on the diploma that it was Ediploma type...Huge difference. My brother who works for IBM also advised me to go that route. So tomorrow I go see Counselor on the follow up on the testing I did so I am going to have a few questions for her. A Florida Tech Adviser told me today I would qualify for a few grants to help offset things which would help if I am able to get them. Student loans are out of the question because that would mean more debt after wards....:blink:BTW 2 classes with them is full time....
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I don't think I will because I made too much. I work but the VA Vocational Rehab is telling to leave the job I am at because it is aggravating my SC'd injuries. Yes I would like to go back to school and finish what I should have finished years ago and if it gets me out of what I am doing now then I will go. I will probably have to make a sacrifice here and there and probably find part time work somewhere to offset my income. I have 7 years hardcore experience in Information Technology and Networking but don't have the degree. Now I am back working in Corrections, well something similar but more stressful, physically and mentally because I work around let's say mentally ill type patients. Anyway the college should be easy to me in IT because I know a lot of it already. Yes it changes every few years, new concepts and techniques but the core is still the same. So I am probably going to do it online at home. Anybody know a good college online? I was thinking Trident University but I don't know their reputation. I know there are a few out there but which one to choose is the hardest.
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Well I seen the Cardiologist today because of the chest pains I have had since June of 2010. After explaining to the Cardiologist my symptoms (shortness of breath, chest pains and pains in both hands and feet with tingling numbess) and that my private Neurologist found the Herniated disc at C5-6 causing left foraminal stenosis, the cardiologist proceeded to tell me that the "minor abnormal stress test" looks like a glitch on the camera or photo and he said it happens. He said he doesn't see anything wrong with my heart because the stress test on the treadmill was fine and the EKG I had right before I seen him was fine. So, he explained to me that he thinks that the chest pains and shortness of breath is from what I explained to him with herniated disc at C5-6. So, to clear things up and for more research, is there a Diagnostic Code for Radiculopathy with chest pains and shortness of breath? I know the one for the hands and legs but how about the chest. I knew there nothing wrong with my heart, I told my VA Primary Care doctor there was nothing wrong with my heart. At least I had a good stress test done and I am thankful for it and thankful it came back fine. But I want to pursue on seeing if there is some way I can file on the chest pains that is being caused by the pinch nerves in my neck. The link I posted earlier in the week or last week showed how pinched nerves in the neck causes chest pains and shortness of breath. It is not a good feeling. I now have 7 secondary claims at the St Pete VARO right now because of the radiculopathy.
My next step is seeing a VA Neurologist to have a sniff test ordered to make sure my diaphragm isn't damage now because of the group of nerves that are being pinched....
Any information would be helpful...
Like JBasser always tells me "Gitt-r-done"!!!!!!
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This if for those who like me, have lived with chest pains, both arms and hand pains, who thought they were going crazy, has their medical Doctor in a daze and neither can find an answer:
http://www.jabfm.org...nt/full/17/1/74
Also:
http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/c5-c6-herniated-disc.html
Chest pains caused by disc herniation...Just some information that you might want to present to your doctor. Yes we may be different in many ways but we experience the same symptoms and problems....If I find more information I will post it....
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I had an appointment today with Vocational Rehab. The good news is the counselor stated that I do not need to be working in the position that I am in because it is aggravating my SC'd to the extreme, actually to the point that I went from Cervical Spine Pain in the Army to now a herniated disc causing left foraminal stenosis. She stated about paying for my Education and paying me substance allowans. My question is this to those who know or who have been through this. How do you survive financially doing this with a family of 4 if I have to go to school full time and not able to work at the same time because of the stressors? Just curious and would like some guidance into this. Thanks in advance...
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First, Do not ever, ever feel bad about anything because like others stated "You earned it"...Second, nobody is making you feel you should work, you are making yourself feel that way. I use to think the same way for 14 years until last year whenever my life started going downhill medically all because of SC'd injuries catching up with me.No I didn't take their handout 14 years ago but I did file and was SC'd for it. Here is the booger of it all. I was rated at 0% not because the VA wanted to rate me at that but because I was hard headed and didn't show up at the second appointment I had for C&P and didn't show up at none of their XRay which I had a million of them already. My mistake but I knew something back then that I didn't understand. Well my brain did. I knew once I got in then if it got worse later on then I will utilize it. 14 years later, here I am using it to the max because having a degenerative issues is not fun. Going from ago 28 (living sky high but can deal with a lot of pain) to now, 42 and can't deal with it any longer. If I could only reach back to that stupid 28 year old punk who thought he was on top of the world and let him know what it's going to be like later on down the road I would do it in a heart beat!!!! Trust me, never regret what you have earned, only regret the things you should have done but didn't do it earlier....
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Active duty is active duty, Federal not state. You were in the middle east you were on active duty. Many, many of the military in the Korean War and Vietnam were Reserve and Nation Guard. Don't accept no for an answer. If you were told you was injured on active duty you wouldn't get squat is nothing but a pure lie. Again active duty is Federal not state. Hope this helps.
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Well I found that out john999 and so I might go see a private cardiologist about this but again that will probably take a few weeks to even get the stress test done and to follow up on the results....I know a Cardiologist so I think I am going to see him to see what he says...
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I know in the last few to 6 months I have been a pain somewhat on this board on my "connecting the dots" issues. Well it has been connected!!!! I went to a private Neurologist who ordered an MRI on my CSpine and the results:
At C5-6 on the left side, a disc herniation is present into the left foraminal area resulting in left foraminal stenosis:
Which if some don't know is causing me to have pain in both my arms and hands, greater in left more than right side and is causing the left trapezius muscle to spasm so tight that it is causing me to have shortness of breath and chest pains (possible pinching a nerve) which in turn is causing my Anxiety. All of these have been filed with new claims for secondary to my SC'd neck issues. Now I have proof and my VA primary doctor cannot deny it was all in my head. Even the VA Psych Doctor told me yesterday that I do not have the "normal" Anxiety that is psychological but it is more physiological which means it is because of the muscle spasms. The symptoms I feel are real and painful and whenever my chest burns with pain it is because it is the muscle spasm tightening up. So if anybody is having the same issues please, please go see a private Neurologist and Neurosurgeon and let them make a diagnoses because these internal medicine does are just going by symptoms not the problem then they make these so called diagnoses that does not live up to their degrees......BTW I had a CT and CTA which both came back normal both ordered by the Neurologist, something the VA Doctor never ordered to rule out anything.
I did have a VA Nuclear Stress done and it did come back "Minor Abnormal Stress Test" but I was told on the phone by the cardiologist office that the cardiologist will have to diagnose what it was. The person on the phone talking with me assured me that it was minor and and if it was major I would have to see the cardiologist ASAP. But since it's not then I will see him in early March.
Current claims in process:
Bilateral Radiculopathy in both arms
Bilateral Radiculopathy in both shoulders
Radiculopathy in my left trapezius muscle causing it to spasm with pain
Radiculopathy in both hands with CTS greater in left than right
Above all secondary to my cervical SC'd
Radiculopathy in both legs
Radiculopathy in right buttocks
Both secondary to my lumbar SC'd....
and of course Anxiety which the VA Psych said I had.
7 things secondary....
What is funny about all of this is that last May 2010 I had a CSpine MRI with the VA and they said I only had a C5-C6 bulge. Then not even a month later I started having the shortness of breath and pain in my arms, etc....I don't get it. How did they only see a bulge but a private radiologist now has seen a herniation but I haven't injured myself onetime? Kind of makes you think, hmmmmmmmm about the VA...
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Veterans are eligible if they:
- Have received, or will receive, a discharge that is other than dishonorable
- Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%, or a memorandum rating of 20% or more from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)
- Apply for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) VetSuccess services
The basic period of eligibility in which VR&E VetSuccess services may be used is 12 years from the latter of the following:- Date of separation from active military service, or
- Date the veteran was first notified by VA of a service-connected disability rating.
The basic period of eligibility may be extended if a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) determines that a Veteran has a Serious Employment Handicap.
Now let's say he started a job that he cannot do any longer because of his SC'd conditions they do make exceptions from my understanding.
Read this:
If the service connected disability rating is less than 20%, or if the Veteran is beyond the 12-year basic period of eligibility, then a serious employment handicap must be found to establish entitlement to VR&E VetSuccess services. A serious employment handicap is based on the extent of services required to help a Veteran to overcome his or her service and non-service connected disabilities permitting the return to suitable employment.
Mri Question...
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted · Edited by rpowell01
I need to feedback information I am researching at the moment on possible misreading of MRI results by the VA.
1. Has anybody ever ran into this problem where their MRI was actually misread or you ever heard of it happening?
2. What action was taken on your or the person's part?
Am I allowed to get a copy of the MRI on CD I had last year on my cervical and lumbar so I can have it read by somebody else?
My dilemna is I feel there is a possibility somebody read my MRI and gave some bad results on it. Why? Because whenever I had the VA MRI in May 2010 they stated I only had 3 bulge discs. But, I had all the symptoms of a herniated cervical discs which started January 2010 and got worse by May 2010. In Febuary of this year I had another MRI completed which the results showed 2 bulge discs and one herniated disc. The MRI was done by a privated agency. I actually requested a second reading on the MRI with a different radiologist and the conclusion was the same. Tuesday the Orthopedic Surgeon showed me the herniation. You can clearly see it. BTW I had my first ever cervical ECI done that day. Day 1 I felt really good. Yesterday, I felt okay. Today, my neck stiff once again and it feel the way the symptoms appeared last year is now creating the same pattern now. I was told that it would help me for a few days. I am glad it did but I now it was a dream to get that epidural done. The surgeon said he would try it onetime and if it didn't work they will have to go in. I think I am going to take the chance of letting them do the procedure.
I want to find out if there is a possible CUE so I can file a NOD on my percentage increase claim from last year last year. I am hopefully going to get a new MRI done on my lumbar which is now affecting both my legs, ie numbness in both thighs, pain in my calves and numbness and shocking feeling at the bottom of my feet and toes. The orthopedics did give me Gabapentin 300mg twice a day for everything I hope it helps some...
***EDIT*** I just read what I typed. Sorry for all the typos but this is how it is now affecting me and I didn't want to go back and redo it.